Mysteries of the Hopewell

Astronomers, Geometers, and Magicians of the Eastern Woodlands

By William F. Romain

Publication Year: 2000

Buried beneath today's Midwestern towns, under several layers of earth and the accumulated debris of two thousand years, are the clues to an ancient mystery. A Native American people, now known as the Hopewell, lived and worked these lands, building earthworks which in some instances dwarf the ruins at Stonehenge. More significantly, these mammoth earthworks were built in different geometric shapes, using a standard unit of measure and aligned to the cycles of the sun and the moon. Using the foundation of existing scholarship, Mysteries of the Hopewell presents new discoveries showing the accomplishments of the Mound Builders in astronomy, geometry, measurement, and counting. William Romain then goes one step further to theorize why generations of people toiled to move millions of tons of earth to form these precise structures, joining the ranks of the Egyptians, Mayans, Greeks, Chinese, and other advanced ancient cultures. William Romain's Mysteries of the Hopewell will appeal to many readers, including anthropologists, mathematicians, and historians, but perhaps especially to readers curious about ancient cultures and seeking explanations for these magnificent earthen structures.

Cover

Title

Copyright

Contents

Preface

Looking back on it, now, it all seems quite remarkable. Understandably,
then, there will be people who doubt what follows. Nevertheless,
I must tell of my findings that show, beyond any reasonable doubt,
that the Native Americans who lived here—in eastern North America
some two thousand years ago—were accomplished in...

Introduction

They’re all dead now. But sometimes, in the early morning, when
the fog is still hovering there in the valley and the ground is wet with
dew, one can almost make out the ancient encampments of the
Hopewell there in the shifting, changing mist. Other times it happens at
night, when shadows from the fire flicker and dart about like wandering...

Part One: Physical Parameters

1. The Enchanted Valley

For most living creatures, certain places are special. Deep in our
primate memory, we can recall a time when we cautiously made our
way to a favorite pond or stream. There, life-giving water awaited us.
Or maybe it was at the end of a day in the forest when we scurried
about, looking for a hiding place to sleep, secure in some enclosed and...

2. Sacred Geometry

I was in Nepal, along the Tibetan border, on my way to Base
Camp I, Mount Everest. Chomolungma—“Goddess Mother of the
World”—that is what the Sherpas call the mountain. And scattered
along its way, in the shadow of the mountain, are a number of small
Buddhist temples, safe havens for a tired...

3. Measuring and Counting

It was the perfect day for a flight. The sun was bright, the air was
crisp, and there was just the hint of a breeze out of the southwest.
Poised at the end of the runway, the little airplane strained at its brakes.
I made a last minute check of the instruments, set the flaps, and eased
the throttle forward. Faster and faster the propeller...

4. Hopewell Astronomy

In the dream world existence between conception and birth, each
of us floated in a formless darkness surrounded by warm amniotic fluid.
Suspended between consciousness and eternity, we had little or no
awareness of up and down, front and back, left and right, future or past.
We did not relate to the universe in those...

5. Azimuths to the Otherworld

Among all the powers of the heavens that are visible to the naked
eye, surely the sun is the most awesome. Still, there comes a time, at the
end of the day, when the sun disappears and yields its dominion of the
sky to the mysterious, silver...

Part Two: The Hopewell Worldview

6. Symbols of Earth and Sky

Essentially, the idea is that our brains are hardwired in such a way
that we find geometric patterns in visual fields, even when such patterns
do not objectively exist. Consider, for example, the design shown
in figure 6.1. Most people see a square. But, in reality, what we see as a
square has no existence by itself. Take away the funny little...

7. Sacred Ceremonies

Night was beginning to fall and a storm threatened, so I sought
shelter in a small, rundown village. I found the local version of a bed
and breakfast, and after a simple meal of boiled potatoes, I was getting ready to settle in for the night. That was when he showed up—the local
shaman. It was hard to tell how old he was, maybe late...

8. Conclusion

On July 20, 1969, at 10:56 p.m. eastern standard time, human beings
from the planet earth set foot on the moon. For many of us who
witnessed this event on television, our journey to another celestial body
was humankind’s greatest achievement so...

Appendix: The Serpent Mound

Acknowledgments

And so we come to the end of our journey. It has been said that
half the fun of any trip is getting there. And, certainly, this has been
true for me. While researching and writing this book, I met dozens of
fascinating people and had many interesting adventures. Now it is my
pleasure to thank those who helped me along...

Welcome to Project MUSE

Use the simple Search box at the top of the page or the Advanced Search linked from the top of the page to find book and journal content. Refine results with the filtering options on the left side of the Advanced Search page or on your search results page. Click the Browse box to see a selection of books and journals by: Research Area, Titles A-Z, Publisher, Books only, or Journals only.